Gig Harbor Fly Shop

Tube Fly Hooks

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about a tube fly is it allows you the flexibility to adjust your hook to the conditions and size of fish as well as change hooks out if you dull or break one. You have two main options with rigging a tube fly. You can either insert a straight eye hook into the back of the tube or junction tubing. Or you can rig and up eye hook on a loop to trail the fly. Which one I use depends on the fly. Flies with long flowing materials are likely to foul around a hook that is inserted directly into the tube same as they would on a fly tied on a long hook shank. This is where I would run the hook on a trailing loop to prevent fouling. Additionally, this can be nice if you are fishing for fish that are likely to short strike your fly or nip at the back end. On flies with more rigid or shorter materials I will simply insert a straight eye hook right into the back and be fishing. Here are some of our favorite hooks for each situation, and then a short video of the two different methods of rigging them.

The Straight Eye Hooks from top to bottom: Gamakatsu C14S, Owner SSW Cutting Point 5180, Daiichi 1640, Gamakatsu SC15, Daiichi 2451

Owner Cutting Point SSW 5111, Gamakatsu Octopus

Switch Rod Rundown

2012-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Switch rods are all the rage this day. Some of it's for good reason. Some of its not. These rods can be a great tool to add to your arsenal, but may not be the do it all rod that they often are thought to be. Here is a rundown of what is a switch rod,some of the great uses for them, as well as some of the downsides:

Simply speaking a switch rod is a rod that is designed to be used with either one hand or two hands. They bridge the gap between single hand fly rods and true spey rods. Switch rod usually range from 10' 6" to 11' 6" in length.

Switch rods do not single hand cast as well as a 9 ft single hander nor do they spey cast like a 13' spey rod. But they are a great tool for versatility. Here are some of the many uses we find for using a switch rod.

Beach Fishing:
A Switch rod's additional length is great for keeping your backcast off the rocks. Another great reason to have one is for those times when you are fishing near high tide with restricted backcast space, a switch rod gives you a better ability to spey cast than you would have with a single hander keeping your fly in the water and not in the trees.

Nymphing:
The added length of a switch rod is a great asset in line control versus that of a single hand rod. Switch rods are now available in lighter line sizes making them a great rod for big water nymphing for trout, as well as for steelhead in the stouter line sizes.

Streamers:
A switch rod is a great way to wade fish streamers for trout, think of them here as a mini spey rod. You can spey cast streamers and catch all day and hone your game for steelhead at the same time!

Swinging flies for steelhead:
Switch rods are great for swinging flies in smaller water: Now that they come in such a variety of sizes, you can easily skate dry flies or fish heavy winter sinktips and big flies with a shorter rod than your traditional spey rod. I really like them on small confined waters where a big rod is up in the trees.

Other things to consider:

Two Hands or One?
Pretty much every switch rod Ive handled and cast I liked much better using two hands to cast it as opposed to one. Using one hand is usually very physically taxing except at very close range. So basically switch rods should be considered ultra short spey rods.

Lining a switch rod:
Simply put, the ideal line to spey cast on a given rod is much heavier than the ideal line to overhead cast the same rod. Something in the middle can do both decently but not optimally. Another blog post may dive into this further, but more importantly, this is why we are here at the shop to help you choose the correct line for what you want to do.

Learning to spey cast:
Often much easier with a full length spey rod than a single hand rod. So if spey casting is something you really are serious about, starting with a full spey then adding a switch rod is my recommended path.

A couple of my favorite switch/short spey rods:

Scott L2H 11' 5wt.
A great little rod for trout nymphing/streamer fishing as well as our new favorite switch rod for the beaches of Puget Sound!

Winston BIImx 11' 6" 6/7 wt.
My favorite all round short spey rod. This rod is as at home on a winter steelhead river as a summer river. My favorite lines are a 480 grain Airflo skagit switch or a 440 grain SA Scandi Extreme.

The Versatility of Tube Flies Part II

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

In this video, Eric Neufeld of Idlewilde flies expands even more on the versatility of using tube flies. While talking steelhead in much of these posts, these techniques apply to many applications including Puget Sound, river trout, and warmwater gamefish.

The Versatility of Tube Flies Part 1

2012-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

In this video, Eric Neufeld of Idlewilde talks of how to use tube flies to increase your versatility and creativity on the river. The next installment of this will expand on this concept even more!

Fly Fishing Film Tour - Leap Day!

2012-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

We're hosting the film tour for our third year in a row. It's on Leap Day, February 29th, here in Gig Harbor. Tickets go on sale soon!

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2012 | thef3t.com from The Fly Fishing Film Tour on Vimeo.

Tube Fly Basics with Eric Neufeld (bearded edition!)

2012-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Back in December, we were lucky enough to have Erik Neufeld of Idlewilde Flies do a tube fly demo for us. Here he explains some of the basics of why and how to use tube flies. In the coming weeks, we will have more from this demo with Eric, so stay tuned!

Here is an unbearded Eric from Deneki Outdoors covering? You guessed it, tube flies!

Recipe: salmon cakes

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year I have to start getting creative with the salmon in my freezer. It seems like I've had it on the grill a hundred times with all sorts of different sauces and marinades. My friend Michael mentioned he had recently done salmon cakes so we invited him over to show us how it's done. If you have a great salmon cake recipe we'd be willing to share, post it in the comments! Thanks! First, start with a lot of salmon. If you just have a chunk of a small fillet, that's not going to cut it. I grilled the six pieces on foil with a little bit of salt, pepper, and butter. You want the fish cooked enough you can flake it but not dried out. Error on the side of moist. The recipe isn't really exact because you're going to have various quantities of fish and there's some experimentation involved!

Flake the fish into a large bowl and add mayo, chives, and celery. The celery gives it some crunch.

Add some Dijon Mustard and Mexican Hot Sauce. We used about 3 Tablespoons of mustard and probably 2 Tablespoons of Hot Sauce. We could have probably done a little more since we had so much fish.

Add half a jar of Capers and Bread Crumbs

Panko is a good choice.

Add a Tablespoon or more of Old Bay Garlic & Herb seasoning. Whip up 3 eggs and mix them into the mixture. This is the binder so you can form them into patties. Mix all the ingredients by hand until evenly mixed.

In a large flat pan heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Form the patties and fry them in the pan. As each batch finishes place on a cookie tray and place in oven at 200 degrees to keep warm. They're just in there to stay warm while the others cook, don't leave them too long or they'll dry out. As you cook each batch you'll have to add more oil and butter.

Serve with roasted potatoes and a salad and you're done! You can serve the patties with a sauce if you would like but is optional. If you have extra salmon cakes they're great as left overs the next day.

Trade In Program

2012-01-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

We have been running a very successful Trade In program in the shop for the past several years and are expanding it to our online customers as well. It's pretty straight forward. Send us your old gear you want us to sell, we sell it for you and give you store credit and help you pick the gear you really want.

To send us your trade in items and to read more about the program CLICK HERE.

Steelhead Tube Fly Tutorial

2011-12-31T11:23:00.000-08:00

Here is a instructional video of a steelhead tube fly that I did last year. For anyone interested I have a class January 12 from 6:30 to 9pm. We will tie a very similar pattern to this as well as 2-3 other productive steelhead flies. Sign up HERE!

Huge Sale on Scott Rods

2011-12-21T22:51:00.000-08:00

We just picked up all of Scott's discontinued rods they had. We have several different rods on sale! Some of these we only have one in stock so don't wait! Here is our inventory as of tonight. Free USA shipping on all orders!

Scott A3 2 Piece Fly Rods - $125 off!

9' 4wt 2pc

Scott A3 4 piece Fly Rods - $135 off!
8' 3wt 4pc
8'6" 4wt 4pc
9' 4wt 4pc
8'6" 5wt 4pc
8' 6wt 4pc
9' 7wt 4pc
8' 8wt 4pc
8'6" 8wt 4pc
9' 8wt 4pc
9'6" 8wt 4pc
9' 9wt 4pc
9' 10wt 4pc

Scott A3 Spey 4 piece Rods - $173 off!
12'6" 7wt 4pc
13' 8wt 4pc
14' 9wt 4pc
15' 10wt 4pc

Scott S4 9' 9wt 4 piece - $295 off!

Please note, trout rod pictured. This 9 weight comes with an anodized aluminum reel seat, fighting butt, and full wells grip. Great saltwater rod!

Scott X2X 4 piece Saltwater Fly Rods - $295 off!
9' 6wt 4pc
9' 7wt 4pc
9' 8wt 4pc

Winter Fishing Opportunities around Gig Harbor

2011-12-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Got Cabin Fever? Well, there are still plenty of fishing opportunities out there if you need to get out of the house.

Sea Run Cutthroat & Resident Coho on Puget Sound:

As the winter season progresses, Cutthroat move towards the estuaries to spawn. However, this doesn't happen all at once so their are always opportunities available. Productive area beaches this time of year include Purdy and Olalla, the closer the beach to an estuary the better.

Resident Coho are found in areas such as Tacoma Narrows as well as deeper into the south sound. Their diet along with many of the SRC's switches to smaller stuff such as amphipods and euphasids. So small flies fished very slow become the most effective way to catch these fish although there are still fish caught on clousers and other standard patterns.

Yakima Trout

Love the cold? Well this might be for you. Yes the east side is chilly this time of year, but its also sunny! Look for warming trends to increase fish activity. Small nymph patterns will be your go to here, but streamers can also bring the biggest fish out of hiding. Warm sunny afternoons may produce hatches of baetis and midges, and great dry fly action. February and March will bring hatches of Skwala Stoneflies and some great days of nymphing and dry fly action.

Winter Steelhead

The focus for many of us switches to winter steelhead this time of year, and for some of us this is what we wait for all year. Why? Because the biggest, baddest, chromest, awesomest fish that lives in the PNW will be heading up the rivers to spawn from now through April. Areas such as the Olympic Peninsula will be your best shot, but Puget Sound rivers will likely be open through January, and the Cowlitz produces more steelhead than any other river. Be sure to check the regs before heading to any new water to make sure its open. Winter steelhead is a game not of numbers of fish but of perserverence. Braving the extremes in weather knowing that the next cast could be the fish of a lifetime. If you are fortunate enough to catch one, please remember to handle these fish with extreme care, keep them in the water (required by law), take a quick photo, and let them go!

Dressing for Winter

Dressing properly is the key to not just surviving but being able to enjoy a great day on the water in the winter. Here are the keys:

Layering: Layering is key because it not only allows you to adjust to changing conditions but it forms pockets of air that warm to your body temp and help in insulating.

Layers of Capilene and Merino Wool form our base layers. Most of us at the shop like to cover these up with a down or synthetic insulating layer such as the Nano Puff.
For bottoms, I like the Shelled Insulator Pants over a layer of Capilene or Merino. A couple layers of fleece pants will do the trick as well.

For socks, I'll usually wear two pairs. One thin pair of wool and one heavy. We just started carrying Smartwool, for those of you who haven't tried them, you should!

If its real cold, on my head I like a wool beanie and then maybe even a merino wool buff around my neck.

Over this stuff we have our breathable waders and then a good quality rain jacket. It does rain a bit around here, doesn't it?

Other keys to staying Warm:

Make sure your wading boots don't fit too snug! Having a little extra toe room prevents your circulation from getting cut off plus allows warm air to insulate your feet. Some people even get an extra pair of boots in a bigger size just for winter fishing.

Cotton Kills! Never wear cotton as part of your insulation, it retains moisture and keeps you damp and cold.

Hot coffee in a thermos!

Blake's Top 5 Christmas Picks

2011-12-13T22:51:00.000-08:00

Umpqua UPG Fly Boxes

Umpqua UPG Fly Boxes are a great mid-priced fly box. Not only are there color choices to make locating a particular box easier but with the see-through lids you can locate the flies you need. The medium size is great for general trout fishing, the streamer and flats boxes great for Puget Sound patterns. The Double Wide is great for very large streamers and saltwater patterns.

Renzetti Traveller 2200 Fly Tying Vise

The Renzetti Traveller is a very comfortable vise to tie on. The jaws hold hooks great and the rotary function is invaluable. The vise come either with a pedestal base or C-Clamp and comes with the bobbin rest.

Patagonia Solar Wind Jacket

The Patagonia Nano Puff has been one of Patagonia's hottest selling pieces. So Patagonia took essentially their Nano Puff and added a GoreTex Windstopper Soft Shell and came up with the Solar Wind Jacket. It's not only a comfortable jacket and great for just kicking around Gig Harbor but is also a great technical piece for the river.

C&F Design Fly Drying Wheel

For all you fly tiers that tie Puget Sound baitfish patterns, you need this item. Especially if you are working with epoxy, hard head, or other epoxy substitutes. Instead of spinning flies on your rotary vise waiting for epoxy to dry let this dryer do the work for you while you keep tying! I like tying a dozen flies at a time before doing the epoxy work. Working in batches ensures I don't waste time or epoxy.

Scott A4 Fly Rod

The new Scott A4 is a great mid-priced USA made fly rod. The trout sizes have a great versatile medium action while the heavier weight rods have a faster action suited for saltwater, sink-tips, and big flies.

Looking for more great gift ideas? Check out our website for great gifts under $30.

Erik's Top 5 Holiday Gift Picks

2011-12-11T14:32:00.000-08:00

Well, the Holidays are fast approaching on us and I'm sure I'm not the only one who hasn't finished their shopping. If you're still looking for some great gifts for that fisherperson on your list, here's my top 5 that will be sure to please.

1. Smartwool Extra Heavy Hunting Socks

We just got these in at the shop and they are a must have for cold weather activities outdoors. Extra Heavy means they're extra warm and they are over the calf so they don't fall down into the bottom of your waders halfway through the morning.

2. Patagonia Merino 2 Lightweight Zip Neck

The key to warmth in the outdoors starts with a quality baselayer. This merino top by Patagonia will be just the ticket to keep you warm and dry in a variety of conditions. Merino is an excellent material that breathes great to keep you comfortable and wicks moisture to keep you dry. When staying dry isn't an option, merino helps you out by insulating you even when wet.

3. Rite in the Rain Fly Fishing Journal Kit

Waterproof paper? You bet! Just as the company name states, you can indeed write in the rain with this handy set that includes a waterproof journal, all weather pen, and a cordura case to keep it all together. The journal features pages tailored for documenting a day's fishing with places to record all the details of the outing. A very cool item that won't let you forget exactly what time that hatch happened.

4. Patagonia Guidewater Jacket

Hands down simply a great fishing jacket. So much more than just a rain jacket, this longer wading jacket by Patagonia is stylish enough to wear off the river and contains all the features that make everything make sense on the water.

5. Gig Harbor Fly Shop Fly Assortments

No matter where you're going or what kind of fish you're pursuing, we've got an assortment of flies for the situation. Here at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop, we've hand picked our favorite flies to give you the best chance at success on the water. From fishing in the Northwest for steelhead, to Puget Sound cutthroat to exotic species like Tarpon or Marlin, we've got an assortment that will get rid of the guesswork and allow you to focus on catching fish with proven flies.

With Christmas just two weeks away, don't hesitate and snatch up some of these great gifts for that special person on your list.

Wulff Ambush Head Review

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

We have talked some in the past about one of our favorite beach lines, the Wulff Ambush line. Even though it started out as a niche line, this shooting head style line excels in a number of circumstances. Here is a rundown of the different ways we use this line, as well as the why:

Overhead casting on the beach:
The Ambush has proven to be the easiest line we have for distance casting with minimal effort. It is easy to simply pick the line up and with one false cast throw 80 ft or more of line. The Ambush is great for beginners because the short head length makes picking the line up off the water easy, while its relatively heavy weight loads the rod deep and penetrates well in the wind. More experienced casters favor this line as well because of the minimal effort it requires to make fishable casts and the versatility it allows.

What makes this line so versatile is that we add poly leaders to the front end which are available in a wide variety of sink rates. The intermediate 10 ft poly leader is our go to but you can quickly and easily change to fast sink models or the full floating model to cover any situation.

Single Hand Spey Casting:
The original design of this line was for just this. Using spey casting techniques with a single hand rod. Why do this? It works great in tight situations like brushy creeks where there is no room for a backcast. Or my favorite is high tide on the beach, when everyone else has left because of a lack of casting room, and you are still out there spey casting 70 ft of line and catching fish!

Swinging flies with a single hand rod for river steelhead and salmon:
Haven't pulled the plug on a spey rod yet? Well this line will let you make the same casts and presentation as with a spey rod. Matched up with a variety of sink rate poly leaders and or sink tips, this line can swing flies on a single hander just like a spey rod. This is a great line to take to Alaska and cover all the situations you might run into from shallow estuary coho to kings in the super deep runs.

And of course swinging flies on spey rods:
This short skagit style line works best on rods 13' and under. It has the power to turn over the biggest of flies and heaviest of sinktips. Available as a full line or just a head, where you can pick the running line of your choice. I like the head with the Scientific Anglers Floating Mono for this application.

Check out the Ambush Line on our webpage to see a short video of it in use!

Zack's Top 5 Christmas Picks

2011-12-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

1. Winston BIImx 12'3" 7/8 wt. Spey Rod
Yea, I know I keep talking about these rods, but they are seriously awesome. This time we'll bump it up to the heavier one. Prime with a 560 grain SA Skagit Extreme. This is the ideal, match made in heaven rod for swinging flies in the winter on the Olympic Peninsula.

2. Bauer Classic Reel
Why not match up that beautiful Winston with a great reel like the Bauer Rogue Classic? A super dependable drag matched with classic style. This reel has the power to stop the biggest of game fish and the style to match.

3. Patagonia Shelled Insulator Pants
This fleece lined soft shell pant is the perfect layer for under your waders on these cold damp winter days. An elastic waist band makes them easy to slide into and velcro ankle cuffs keep them from riding up under your waders. They are super comfortable and stylish!

4. Montana Fly Company River Camo Fly Box
These boxes come in all sorts of awesomness. Many different new designs are on there way in to the shop. Haven't even got them all up on the website but they are going fast in the shop so call if you want one.

5. William Joseph Riptide Waist Pack
Waterproof and only $49.99...how can you beat that? This is the perfect way to store a few fly boxes, tippet, sinktips, etc. plus a bottle of water all out of the way and dry. I love them for swinging flies for steelhead as well as on the beach. Anywhere where mobility is required and tons of gear are not.

And of course for suggestions on what to do with this awesome stuff I'd recommend an Olympic Peninsula swung fly steelhead trip!

Fishing Report: San Diego

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Last week was my ten year college reunion. I originally got the announcement in the mail a couple months ago and immediately went online and booked airline tickets. Get out of the rainy Pacific Northwest and head to San Diego in November? That's a no brainer! It was a great excuse to go to the sun, relax with the family, and get some fishing in.

November isn't quite the best time to fish around San Diego, and the day we had to fish didn't have the best tides either, but we booked a guided trip anyways. When you're on vacation and have the opportunity to fish you take the opportunity!

We fished a half day on Mission Bay with Captian Dave Trimble and had a blast. Allison and I caught several Spotted Bay Bass and I also caught a small shark. A lot of the flies we used were very similar to flies we use here in Puget Sound for sea run cutthroat.

If you find yourself in San Diego with a half day to spare, look up Captain Dave Trimble with On the Fly Saltwater Fishing. He was a lot of fun to fish with and really knows his stuff. He is also really into shark fishing so if you want to try to catch a shark on the fly, he's your guy. If Dave is booked, another guy I would recommend is Peter Piconi. Peter owns a fly shop in San Diego and does a lot of guiding on San Diego bay. I had a chance to meet Peter and talk with him at length and look forward to getting out on the water with him in the future.

Here's some pictures from last week's adventure.

Spey Casting: The Anchor

2011-11-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Getting a consistent anchor is the key to good spey casting. A good anchor has just the right amount of line on the water to prevent the line from going completely airborn behind you and not so much as to rob the cast of energy. It will be about a rods length away from your body and slightly in front of you. The line will lay flat and clean on the water as opposed to crashing down on it unevenly. I shot the following video using a helmet cam with the aim at demonstrating a good clean anchor as well as bad ones from a first person point of view. When spey casting always watch your anchor as I am here. That will tell you everything you need to know about your cast. Hope this helps!

Chum Fish Out

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Saturday Nov 4th we had our annual Chum Salmon Fish-Out! We had a great group come together and many new faces. We had great food, great conversation, and great fishing. Unfortunately the fish weren't as cooperative as we would have liked!

photo by Tom Tabisola

photo by Dennis Ehlers

Steelhead: Adjusting to Changing Conditions

2011-11-04T05:00:00.001-07:00

The scenic Grande Ronde valley

I spent last week guiding and fishing for summer steelhead on the Grande Ronde River in eastern Washington, as well as on the Clearwater River in Idaho. That week was a prime example of how conditions can rapidly change on a steelhead river. I arrived at the Grande Ronde on Sunday afternoon, October 24th to warm temperatures and hazy sunshine. The temperatures were in the upper 60's and the water temperature was in the mid 50's. My friend and fellow guide Chad Becker had been on the river since Friday and landed 14 steelhead by Sunday, all on a floating line and small traditional hairwing steelhead patterns. As we had also used on my scouting mission the weekend before. Conditions were ideal with the stable warm weather, and stable water conditions. When I crawled in the tent that night it was warm enough to just lay under the sleeping bag.

Pate didn't seem to mind the changes in weather.

But by morning, what a change! Temps were down around freezing, and the air just felt drier. Myself, my client and friend Tony, and Chad had breakfast and went up river in search of Tony's first steelhead. Tony was working on his scandinavian style single speys and snake rolls with my Winston BIImx 11'6" 6/7wt and Scientific Anglers Scandi Extreme 440gr. Have I mentioned this is my favorite setup ever :) We used a number of traditional hairwing patterns in sizes 6 and 8 in the same water that had been producing so well the previous days but could not draw a strike. I took a water temp that afternoon and it read 46 degrees. The temp had dropped approximately 8 degrees in one day! Over dinner, we all pondered this change and reflected on past times on the Grande Ronde. The previous year Chad and I had faced similar cold conditions and changed over to light to medium sink tips and small leech patterns with lots of movement. I decided that tomorrow we needed to make a change. So before bed I replaced the 10' intermediate poly leader with a fast sink version and changed to a black conehead leech.

The adjustments made.

We awoke to another very cold clear morning and headed to the water. Tony was working down the first run laying out some great single speys while I coached when his rod doubled over and a beautiful hen steelhead rolled. After a great battle, Tony held his first ever steelhead, and on a swung fly none the less! The next few days produced more of the same.

Tony's first steelhead, what a beauty!

By Wednesday afternoon the water temp was down to 42 degrees.The fishing was not red hot as it had been pre cold front, but we managed to hook fish each day sticking with the leech patterns and sink tips.

On Friday, Chad and I went to the Clearwater River upstream from Lewiston, Idaho. The Clearwater is a much larger river than the Ronde and we expected to find warmer water and happier fish. Chad and I hoped to be able to go back to the long belly floating lines and small sparse patterns the Clearwater is known for. I took a water temp of 47 and felt comfortable with that approach. After a long day and a lot of casting, we both managed to find fish late in the afternoon as doubt began to set in.

Clearwater fish taken on a floating line and small sparse wet fly.

Chad's Clearwater steelhead

Making adjustments on the fly is something we deal with all the time in fly fishing. Whether it be a new hatch on the trout river, a change of tide on Puget Sound, or a change of weather on the steelhead stream. Don't be afraid to experiment and make changes, something new might work when all else has failed.

Columbia Tributary Steelhead Report

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

In mid-October I headed over to the dry side for some steelhead. It was chilly at night (especially sleeping in the truck) but nice once the sun was out on the water. We had a great time swinging flies and I even managed to get some fishing in and land a fish. We hooked a lot more than we landed, these were hot fish and any slack or wrong rod angle and they were gone.

Home sweet home

Will with a hatchery fish

wild fish, on the last cast!

Dan with his first steelhead on the fly

Congrats Ben!

2011-10-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Not only did one of our customers just get married but he also won the Slab of the Month over at Moldy Chum.

Tapered Leaders: Which one where?

2011-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

We get a lot of questions in the shop on what leaders to use in which situation. Here will be a general rundown of which leaders a lot of us like to use in specific situations:

Trout:

Weight Forward or Double Taper Floating Fly Line:

9 foot leaders are your go to leader here. You can throw dries all day and easily switch it to a nymph rig if needed. For your freestone mountain streams a 4x diameter is a good starting point. Low clear water or very small flies go with a 5x. Early season, high flows you can probably get away with a 3x no problem.

For small brush choked streams a 7.5 ft. leader is the way to go. Again tapering down to 4 or 5x.
A 7.5 ft 3x leader is also great for throwing big hoppers on a late summer windy day.

To run a nymph rig on one of these leaders, I would simply add a strike indicator to the thick butt section and then add about 18 inches of tippet to the front end using a blood or double surgeons knot. Add your weight just above the knot and your fly to the end and you're fishing.

The 12 ft leaders are mainly used for very small flies and wary fish.

Beach Fishing:
Here are our leader configurations with our most popular beach lines:

Airflo 40+ Intermediate
5-6 ft tapered leader down to 8-12lb test or a 6 ft. fluorocarbon furled leader and a few feet of level tippet.

Wulff Ambush Line: 10ft Poly Leaders, the most popular is the clear intermediate, having a floater and a fast sink is a good idea as well. From here just loop on 3-4ft of level 8-12 lb tippet.

Topwater: Run a normal tapered leader in 7.5 or 9 foot in 0-2x off your floating line.

Lakes:
For dragging flies on a floater, we'd run a 9-12 ft leader down to 4-5x.
Off an intermediate lake line, run a 6-8 ft leader in the same class.

Chironomids: The longer the leader the better. Most guys run 14-15ft but some even run up to 30 ft. off a floating line. You want to run a long leader off the floating line so you can get the flies deep but then have them rise up in your presentation like an emerging bug.

Sinking Lines and Sink Tips:
Keep your leader short! Usually just run 3-4ft of level tippet off the end, that's it!

River Salmon/Steelhead:
For a later discussion.

Erik on the Chum

2011-10-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

Erik with his big tuna was submitted to the Chum for Slab of the Month. We'll let you know when voting opens! LINK

Baja Fly Fishing Report

2011-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Erik and I were planning on going up to Southeast Alaska at the end of September to go chase some coho and made some last minute change of plans. In a moment of random day dreaming, I called Jeff DeBrown down in Baja, Mexico just to see what his availability was. He was booked the last two weeks of September but had the next following week open, so in a moment of spontaneity on that Friday morning we booked our tickets for Baja flying down on Tuesday! Neither one of us had ever been down there and we didn't have the appropriate gear, flies, etc. but with a couple phone calls to some of our reps we were able to get a handful of 12 weight rods, fly lines, and flies.

Rancho Leonero at dawn

We were picked up by the shuttle driver from the airport and rode an hour North up the East Cape to Rancho Leonero, a waterfront resort near the town of Buena Vista. "The Ranch" had very cool bungalows to stay in with a pool, bar, and patio overlooking the Sea of Cortez. It's a fairly small place compared to the huge resorts an hour South in Cabo San Lucas and had a family feel to it. We met several people great people there and enjoyed spending the week with them. We enjoyed great food all week. I'm convinced, a tortilla in the United States is not a real tortilla! The special treat was having the kitchen staff prepare sashimi from the Yellowfin Tuna that was caught that day!

Bungalows in a park-like setting

We fished three days, two days on a cruiser and one day on a panga. We dinked around a little bit on the beach as well one afternoon. It was amazing to see how much line some of these tuna would tear off with. One fish took Erik probably close to 250 yards into his backing! The day we spent inshore was also a blast. Rooster fish swim so fast when they're crashing bait that it almost looks like video in fast motion. They are so aggressive and have such attitude. They were definitely my favorite fish we caught though Erik's acrobatic dorado gave us quite the show. We had an absolute blast and are looking forward to you possibly joining us on our next trip! Here's a few photos from our trip!

My first tuna on the fly

30lb fluorocarbon is your friend

Erik getting it done!

Erik got it done!

Boat "launch"

Buying bait to throw overboard, it's like throwing stoneflies in the water!

So what do you do after you landed fish like this on the first day?

Sashimi done right

Blake's first roosterfish!

Acrobatic Dorado

Erik's big rooster!

Jeff with the pelican I hooked. Dumbest bird on the planet. Guaranteed.

Erik and his prize after 1 hour and 40 minutes! (and a broken rod)

Another shot of Erik's monster

Dinner with our new friends

12wt bent to the cork, a common theme on this trip

It deserves two thumbs up but I had to hold the camera

Dorado ready for the release

Connect Trailer

2011-09-17T15:17:00.000-07:00

A short trailer from the new Confluence Films movie Connect, same guys who brought us Rise and Drift. Look for an announcement of a Gig Harbor Fly Shop movie event coming in the next few weeks!

Wulff Ambush Line Review

2011-09-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice write-up on one of our favorite lines for both the beach and switch/spey rods. Designed by our good friend Garry Sandstrom. Check it out!

Puget Sound Fish Food: Sculpins

2011-09-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

There are thirty five subspecies of Sculpin that inhabit Puget Sound and the surrounding streams and rivers. Consequently several end up as food for sea run Coastal Cutthroat and other Salmonids. Probably the most well known is the Staghorn Sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) with its cousins the Fluffy Sculpin (Oligocottus snyderi), and the Tidepool Sculpin (Oligocottus maculosus) following. Many fly fishers have found that a slow retrieve, especially in Autumn, can at times result in relentless harassment by the larger Staghorn Sculpin. Staghorn Sculpin spawn in January and February and their larvae remain around the plankton for two months. When the juvenile Staghorn Sculpin end up taking residence in the shallows they occasionally get picked off by cutthroat. Once Cutthroat start reaching approximately 10-12 inches the Sculpins start to show up more frequently in their diet. But the Staghorn Sculpin grow fast and can reach 12 inches in one year, however many other sculpin species remain small enough throughout their lives to be eaten by Cutthroat and other Salmonids. Small Sculpin imitating flies fished in the shallows during Spring are great for imitating juvenile Staghorn Sculpin and then again in early Summer imitating the Fluffy and Tidepool Sculpin. When Coastal Cutthroat are aggressively feeding, a Sculpin pattern can work year-round.

A handful of Oligocottus from the beach seine.

Wooly Sculpin

Fly Tying Recipe:
Hook: Gamakatsu SP11-3L3H size 8
Weight: Lead Wire
Tail: Olive Marabou or Mottlebou
Hackle: Olive or Brown Chinese Saddle Hackle
Body:
Head: Olive or Natural Coastal Deer Hair

Previous Posts:
Puget Sound Fish Food (Introduction)
Puget Sound Fish Food: Amphipods

Tofino Report

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

We've been back from Tofino for a bit now but upon returning I jumped on a plane for New Orleans for the International Fly Tackle Dealer Trade Show and am finally getting to sit down and write the report.

This year we had a very small group, which was unfortunate because the fishing was incredible and it would have been awesome to share it with more people. Here's just a few of the pictures from our trip. We'll post the dates for next year's trip as soon as they are confirmed.

Ryan's second fish and Devin's first! Our first double hook up!

Ryan and Blake holding up some twins! We had dozens of double hook ups!

Heidi West with ANOTHER fish!

One of a couple hundred rockfish we hooked!

Lingcod on the fly!

Blake with a hatchery king!

One of our triple hookups, unfortunately Ryan didn't land the big King (25-26lber!)

Chris West with a beautiful coho and equally beautiful Nautilus

Puget Sound Fish Food: Amphipods

2011-08-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Amphipods are small shrimp-like crustaceans that are important grazers in marine habitats. There is a diverse assemblage of amphipods that are found in Puget Sound, but they all look pretty similar. Some amphipods (Ampithoe valida) are non-native to Puget Sound and found in good numbers. Both native and non-native Amphipods are definitely found in the diet of Coastal Cutthroat as well as Resident Coho Salmon. The largest suborders of Amphipods in Puget Sound are Gammaridea, Hyperiidea, and Caprellidea, with the Gammarids being the most numerous.
In a 2002 study done by Joseph M. Jauquet, 123 Gammarid Amphipods were found in the stomach samples from 5 Coastal Cutthroat ranging from 12-15 inches! Interestingly, this only made up only 13.87% of the biomass found in their stomachs. They make up for their lack of weight with sheer quantity. A numerous and important food source for sea-run Cutthroat, and the fly fisher! Typically when a Cutthroat grows past 15 inches in length they shift in diet away from Amphipods to larger items such as Shrimp, Crabs, Polychaete worms, and a variety of baitfish. The eyes on Amphipods are typically large and distinct and should be taken into account when tying imitations. When fishing Amphipod patterns, twitching the fly as well as dead drifted are effective. Remember these things don't swim like baitfish!

Amphipod Ampithoe

Gary's Amphipod

Hook: SC15 size 6 or Daiichi 2546 size 8
Thread: 8/0 Uni-Thread Red
Tail: Light Pink, Orange, or Pearl Crystal Splash
Eyes: Black Bead Chain Small
Body: UV Hot Pink, Orange, or UV Pearl Ice Dub
Rib: Brassie or Medium Copper Wire

Previous Posts:
Puget Sound Fish Food (Introduction)

Guided Fall Steelhead Dates

2011-08-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

We have a few fall steelhead dates open on the Methow; October 11, 13,14, 15 and swinging flies on the Grande Ronde October 24-29. These are filling fast, so call/email the shop asap to book a date!
Email sales@gigharborflyshop.com or call 253-851-FISH!

Fishing Report (Pinks)

2011-08-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

Odd years in Puget Sound signal the arrival of the pink salmon to many of our favorite rivers and streams. Many anglers have already been targeting these feisty salmon in the salt over the past weeks and have been experiencing some great days on the big water. As summer rolls on, these fish move into the river by the thousands and make for excellent sports fishing for both the fly and gear angler.

Yesterday good buddy Paul and I fished a portion of the Skykomish river for Pinks and had decent fishing on the fly rods. As the fall approaches....the river will be "stuffed" with pinks which will make for some great action for both the gear and fly angler. These fish also provide and excellent opportunity for younger or less experienced fisherman and generally provided ample shots at hooking and landing a fair number of fish.

We will be fishing and guiding this late summer and early fall for pinks and coho and have some spots open for guided trips. If your looking for some walk and wade spots or advice on flys....give a call or stop by and we can help you out.....

Choosing a Spey Line: Part 1 Scandi Rundown

2011-08-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Scandi vs. Skagit Speylines

There is a lot of confusion out there on the why, where and when for using the different types of spey lines. Part 1 here will give a brief rundown of the conditions where I believe a Scandinavian style shooting head will excel from other styles of spey lines.

The first big difference that can be noted when comparing a skagit head to a scandi head is that the scandi line will have a much longer, thinner front taper. The other major difference when lined properly, a scandi line will be of a lighter grain weight than its counterpart skagit head for the same rod. So to the earlier question, what does this do for us?

Scandi Lines excel at fishing smaller flies and long leaders. This is great for summer run steelhead, especially when the water temps are warmer and the river is running low and clear. From now in mid July to the end of October these lines will allow you to cover most any situation you might face on a steelhead stream. They enable you to make a much more delicate cast and presentation than the skagit counterpart. If we want to get down a little deeper with a scandi line we can always add a sinking poly leader as well.

Scandi lines cast well with your standard waterborne casts such as the double spey and snap t, but these lines really excel with touch and go style casts such as the single spey and snake roll. Think of them as the ferrari of the spey world vs the pickup truck skagit.When casting these lines, remember to keep your hands tight to your body, and use a bottom hand pull to create your forward stroke and let-r-rip!

Puget Sound Fish Food

2011-08-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Puget Sound is an amazing ecosystem with a lot of life in the water. For many saltwater anglers, Puget Sound can be frustrating and complex because of the variety of food for fish to eat. Colton and I recently joined Pacific Lutheran University marine ecology professor, Mike Berhens, for a day on the water seining the beach to see what was out there. This is the beginning of a series of blog posts aimed at helping saltwater anglers learn about what Cutthroat and salmon eat throughout the year in Puget Sound. Stay Tuned!

Tofino Fishing Trip

2011-07-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

We still have room in our Tofino trip for next week if you're interested contact Blake at the shop 253-851-3474. August 8-13 (fishing 9-12).

Here's a recent report from the guys at Weigh West in Tofino:

Just a quick update for our Coho fisheryhere in Clayoquot Sound Vancouver Island. It has been an unbelievable start tothe inshore fishery this year. Large schools of 6-10 lb Coho salmon have inundatedour waters feeding on vast schools of bait fish. So far all of our fly fishingguests have caught many fish each day with our peak day topping 30 landed Coho eachboat before noon! This is the best we have seen in a few years and the forecast isfor an above average return of Coho.

Our fish master Jordie, has reported acouple big Kings have also been caught on the bucktail and he himselfreleased a 20 pound King today caught in 22ft of water today.

Don’t wait to book your trip to oneof the most beautiful places in the world and oh yeah the fishing is amazingtoo!

Customer Report from New Caledonia!

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

New Caledonia Fly Fishing - Tropical Steel

The country New Caledonia is part of the French Collectiveand is located just a few hours east of Australia. Getting there isn't easy: Inmy case, Seattle > Hawaii > Christmas Island (just a stop-over -- sigh)> Fiji > New Caledonia. With the second-largest lagoon in the world and apopulation of about a quarter-million inhabitants, flats are vast andplentiful. Those here that have even heard of fly fishing (pêche à la mouche)garnered much of their knowledge from Rev. Maclean (aka Tom Skerritt).

My first time throwing flies at bonefish in New Caledoniawas in 2007 shortly after I picked up my first rod. On that excursion I spentseveral hours on a windy flat under an overcast sky with my new Sage. Mid-dayon a slow strip a bone grabbed my sparsely embellished shrimp pattern and ranout a large portion of my backing before breaking off. That was the only takethat day and I have been re-living the experience in my head for four years.

Back on the flats at the northern tip of the country, withthe sun on my back and the dropping tide revealing sprawling legs of nearbymangroves, I finally realized my dream of bringing to hand one of the legendaryNew Caledonia bonefish. It was a leggy shrimp pattern that caught the eye ofone of the four bonefish foraging for crustaceans a long cast down wind. My flydropped about ten feet up-current of the group and a quick tug was enough todraw attention. The game of enticement began -- slow, slow, slow, fast, fast,slow and WHAMMO! This was it, the fight was on. All of the bitter lessonslearned over the past several years in my desperate quest for steel on theOlympic Peninsula converged with the immediate reality that this could verywell be my last chance for a bonefish until my next visit to this remote SouthPacific island in 2014. Having ripped into my backing several times as hedipped into the deep blue, the bonefish finally fatigued and gently came tohand as my eyes well with tears (probably from the salty breeze on my face).After a few pictures to remember this moment (and brag a bit), I savored thebest part -- the gentle release of this wonderful creature back into the grandblue.

For those that are interested, I would like to share a fewtidbits and mention a few things that I learned.

The first big win for me was spending time at the Gig HarborFly Shop with Blake and others in his crew. Without their knowledge, experienceand passion for fly fishing, this trip could have turned out very differently.The recommended 9' Echo 3 10-weight paired with a Lamson Velocity 4.0 was a joyto cast all day long. Other essentials included the following:

* Dr. Slick Baracuda Pliers - Came in handyfor a small baracuda with big teeth. A hemostat couldn't hold up to the hardmouth of my first trevally.

* Strippee finger protector - Cuts takeforever to heal in the tropics and really bad infections are common. Neosporinedoesn't work; only iodine out here.

* Lippa4Life - For gentle handling of fish.Lightweight and lots of plastic. Metal rusts very quickly, so rinse and drytools often with fresh water.

* Sun shirt and a sun hat that covers yourneck - Seeing into the water means your back is to the sun all day long.

* Patagonia Marlwalker flats boots andneoprene socks kept the sand out, my feet comfortable and prevented cuts andscrapes from coral.

While on the flat, I came within several feet of seaturtles, black-tip sharks, rays, and cast to a large barracuda and gianttrevally (GT); saw a ray jumping completely out of the water and flying throughthe air when the wind turned direction; was approached by a school of about 12rays that settled a few yards from where I stood; and heard the thunderous roarof thousands of mullet crashing through the waves.

Thanks Devin for sharing!

Film Event - Tapam - July 16th @ Java & Clay Cafe

2011-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

We're hosting a screening of Tapam July 16th @ Java & Clay Cafe in Gig Harbor. The event is FREE! We'll start at 6pm with a social time and some redneck casting competitions across the street at the park. We're get the film rolling a little after 7pm. We will also be raising money for the Wild Steelhead Coalition that evening so bring lots of cash. Here's a five minute teaser of the film.

Gig Harbor Fly Shop 2011 Camp Out

2011-07-07T00:21:00.000-07:00

Our annual shop Camp Out is coming up July 22-24 on the Olympic Peninsula. The details are being emailed out to our customers. Join our email list to get the info:

Email Marketing You Can Trust

Last Chance for Feedback on Snider Creek Program

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Snider Creek Hatchery Program on the Sol Duc River is under review and WDFW is accepting comments until tomorrow.

The newest science now shows that hatchery fish are detrimental to the survival of wild steelhead. Please take a quick moment to tell WDFW to end the Snider Creek program and to create a wild steelhead reserve in the Sol Duc River.

Send your email to: snidercreek@dfw.wa.gov

For some additional reading check out the great posts from Moldy Chum and Native Fish Society.

While you're at it, considering supporting the Wild Steelhead Coalition by becoming a member.

Yakima Fish Report 7/26

2011-06-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

Yakima River Report:

I recently took the opportunity to fish with good buddy and fellow guide Craig this weekend on the Yakima River. The chance to get over to the east side for some sunshine and trout fishing was to hard to resist. With giant snow pack we received this winter, the river running unusually high for the time of year and we had to adjust for the water conditions.

Generally by late June we are enjoying consistent flows and river temps that tail water fisheries provide.

We launched the boat in town and floated most of the lower canyon and covered water hard. With the high water and cool water temps the morning fishing was slow and methodical. The ability to cover water effectively in areas that have potential to be productive paid dividends in regards to opportunities to hook fish.

By mid day....the water temps had warmed a bit and the fish activity responded in kind. We had a nice window of fishing using multiple techniques including the big drys. While nymphing comprises a large portion of the fishing on any given day on the Yakima, we found streamer fishing to be the most effective. While the numbers may not be present, the average size of the fish of fish hooked was great. All were hard fighting wild rainbows that took the fly aggressively.

Side notes: The "rubber" hatch was in full bloom this weekend even with the colder than normal water....fueled by sunshine, youth and alcohol it can feel like the most prolific hatch on the Yakima rivaling the mothers day caddis.

With the high flows the inherent danger of the river is much higher than normal. The amount of force in a river the size of the Yakima flowing along at 5000 CFS can not be under estimated. On Saturday, we watched a father and son launch a boat and then promptly crash it into the bank within eye sight of the ramp. Fortunately, everyone was ok and both walked away from the experience with shaken nerves and story to tell.

Line Cleaning and Maitenance

2011-06-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember that new line you got last season? How smooth it cast and almost seemed to shoot itself through the guides with so little effort? How it made you cast like a superstar? Now with this season here and underway, you're wondering what happened to that slick shooter that had you raving to your friends about how they had to cast it. It was only a few months ago and surely you didn't lose your stroke?

Well before you blame yourself, maybe it's time to take a look at your beloved line. You remember the good times, but what about the bad? That time you stepped on it in the mud? The scrapes on the rocks? The clumps of weeds? The algae blooms? The trees? Undoubtedly the line has encountered one of more these bad memories over the course of it's time with you on the water. Even in relatively clean water, your line is always picking up contaminants, and almost more importantly, leaching out the chemicals in the PVC coating that give it those great properties such as a high float and good slickness. Add to that the sun's rays continually breaking down the coatings and it's no wonder that things aren't like they used to be.

Cleaning and maintaining your line can be easier than you think, especially with the introduction of some great products in recent years. A simple maintenance for any type of line is to strip it off into a wide shallow pan filled with warm water and a gentle dish soap. Swish the line around and give it a good soak. After a half hour or so, take a clean towel, fold it over the line and put some pressure on it. With the other hand, pull the line through the towel. You want pinch with enough pressure so that you can hear the line squeak through the towel. Pull all the line through your fingers, leaving it in loose coils at your feet and wind back on the reel. Take a look at the towel when you're done, I'm sure you'll be quite surprised at the amount nasty stuff left behind.

A couple times a season or so, you may want to further clean your line and condition it as well. This can be done with a number of products, but we recommend the family of products by Loon Outdoors.

Line Speed is a product for cleaning and conditioning floating lines. For sinking lines, Sink Fast is the product of choice. Both clean and condition the line as well as add UV protection. These products are used much in the same way as cleaning with a towel, but Loon's Line Tool made with sheepskin seems to work much better and keep the cleaner in contact with the line.

If using a floating line, you can go one step further after using the Line Speed and apply Stream Line which will further condition and lubricate for the ultimate in home line maintenance.

With so many more condition-specific lines on the market in the last few years and the cost on some now breaking $100, proper routine line care will pay dividends over time and allow you to keep more money in your pocket and your mind on the fishing.

Now at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop, we are offering a FREE Line Cleaning Service all day, every day. Bring down your reel and we'll remove some of those bad times and show you just how much junk you pick up while out on the water.

Scott Fly Rods

2011-06-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Ever want to see where your rod comes from? Here's a great new video about the Scott factory and the people who make them for you, all in America.

Scott | behind the scenes from Scott Fly Rods on Vimeo.

Click here to view our selection of Scott Fly Rods:
Scott Fly Rods

Puget Sound Beach Report

2011-06-22T11:16:00.001-07:00

Things on the beaches are picking up! We have been getting out all over the place and finding fish in most areas. There is a TON of bait around. Lots of smaller baitfish in the 2" range, along with amphipods and other crustaceans that are in that size range as well. So what does that tell us? Flies in that size range should and have been very productive.

Matt with his first Cuttie!

I have been using the old standby Clouser in a variety of colors tied very sparse and small and have had little reason to experiment from there. Olive and white being great on the cutties, this fly looks like just about everything in the sound. Pink and white has, as usual, been productive on the resident coho, which had been hard to find this year, but are starting to make an appearance!

First rezzie of the season...they were schooling!

Beautiful night on the sound...nothing better!

Don't forget! Father's Day is Sunday!

2011-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

With all the graduation parties and end of year festivities, Father's Day sneaks up on us every year. With Father's Day just two days away, here's some great gift suggestions to let him know he's rad.

1. A Waterproof C&F Fly Box with a gift card for some flies.

These fly boxes are the best around and last seemingly forever. But let him pick out his own flies, it's a guy thing. It's like asking for directions.

2. A Fly Fishing Class or Guided Trip

If he is looking to explore some new water and techniques, we have a Fly Fishing Puget Sound Beaches Clinic coming up as well as Spey Casting Classes. If dad just needs to get out and fish and have a great day on the water a guided trip would be just the thing.

3. A Beautiful Fly Tying Tool Caddy for his tying desk

Handcrafted by Roy Flint of Gig Harbor. One of these beautiful tool caddies will help him keep his tying desk organized. Imagine never asking him to tidy up his desk. Three sizes: Large, Medium, Small

4. Eastern Rises DVD

Here's the shop's favorite fly fishing film. Awesome fishing in Russia, great soundtrack, and bigfoot. Has all three essentials for a good flick.

5. A new Patagonia Stealth pack

If he hasn't ditched the vest yet, he'll love you for this. Way more versatile than a vest. There's two styles, the Hip Pack and the Chest Pack.

Nordic Fly Fishing Tales

2011-06-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

I never knew the consequences of not finding rising trouts!

Come fish Tofino, Vancouver Island with us!

2011-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Tofino, British Columbia Trip

August 2011

Heidi with a 20lb Coho on the cast fly

Last year my wife Allison and I were invited to fish the west side of Vancouver Island at Tofino with our friends Chris and Heidi West. Chris has been fishing Tofino for over 10 years and knows this fishery pretty well. Chris and I are hosting a trip this August to Tofino (August 8-13) and we're inviting you to join us! The package includes 5 nights of lodging and 4 days of fishing on the Weigh West fly boats.

Though this is saltwater fly fishing, it is not in the open ocean. This takes place in the protected waters of Clayoquot Sound. It looks like Puget Sound possibly looked like 200 years ago.

Allison's first coho on the fly

The fishing is mostly for migratory coho though we run into Kings quite frequently and rockfish are also available and very willing to take the fly. Weigh West provides us with 17' center console boats and a fish-master to lead the fleet. We all follow the fish master out and fish in the general area of each other. The boats are outfitted with sonar and we communicate with each other across the radios. This type of fishing is very rewarding. It's not like a traditional guided trip, you are in more control, but on the other hand, you're not left hung out to dry either. The fish-master acts as a group guide and anglers with very little experience can have phenomenal days.

Rockfish provided non-stop action

One of the great things about the trip is that it doesn't require a flight to get there. The travel up there is by no means quick, but the time on the ferry breaks it up, and the scenery is breathtaking. We plan to carpool together from Gig Harbor and split ferry/gas costs.

In addition to Tofino's rich native history and being a famous fishing town, it is also Canada's surfing hot spot. The town as a resort feel to it with a great downtown with restaurants, surf shops, and art galleries. On this trip you're covering your own meals. We plan to eat together for dinner at the various local restaurants. For breakfast you can grab a bite in town and for lunch we're planning on just brown bagging it.

Heidi with another large fish, this time a 30lb king

Chris West showing how it's done!

Package Pricing:

Double Occupancy - $1500 per person

Triple Occupancy - $1100 per person

Included: Lodging in Tofino, 4 days of fishing, pre-trip information and fly tying sessions.

4 night 2 days of fishing package also available. Ask for details.

Not included: Transportation to and from Tofino (we plan to carpool), Meals, Drinks, Gear/Tackle/Flies, Fishing License.

We will be having an informational meeting at the shop coming up soon for anyone interested in learning more about the trip. We also will be having our first fly tying session in a couple weeks for those of you that want to tie up some flies yourself. Now that you're all jazzed to go, give us a call, and ask for Blake (253)851-3474.

A beautiful and calm day on the water

Intro to Spey Casting Class!

2011-06-09T15:47:00.000-07:00

We are doing an intro to spey casting class on Saturday, June 18 from 9am to 1pm. This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to get into spey casting or wanting to touch up on their technique.

Call the shop for details! 253-851-3474

River and Stream Opener Fishing Report

2011-06-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Rods: 9’ 5Wt BIIIx
Line: WF floating (Rio Grand)
Bugs: Black and Olive buggers and Royal PMX, Prince and PT droppers
Techniques: Wet Fly Swing and Long drifted Dry Fly (occasional twitch)

The annual stream and river opener in conjunction with the beautiful weather provided “fly shop” Eric and I the opportunity to get out and do some much needed warm weather trout fishing on the west side. Many of the fly fishing opportunities on the west side consist of beach or lake fishing but many of the local streams host decent numbers of trout that are willing to take a fly and generally receive little to no pressure. I love the simple and straight forward approach to trout fishing on the west side and typical tactics and flies work great. We spent a good portion of the morning making this more complicated than necessary angling with a host of modern techniques and approaches but found that a straight forward wet fly swing and dead drifted dry fly’s were all that were needed.
One of the things to keep in perspective when angling smaller waters is to scale your approach to the size of the water and fish. West side rivers and streams tend to be less fertile than their east side counter parts and the trout that occupy these water sheds tend to be anadramous and come and go into the streams as the water conditions and food sources are conducive. Leech patterns and small profile stone fly’s offer great high calorie imitations that these sea run trout move into the systems for.
3 to 5 weight rods in the 8 to 9 foot range are more than adequate. Tapered leaders to 3x with some 4x tippet worked great and flexibility of the tungsten putty really helped in getting the right amount of weight to keep presentations in the zone. We concentrated our efforts on the deeper runs and slots adjacent to the woody debris and over hanging vegetation. Most if not all of these streams have full canopies of trees and stream side shrubs, so a roll cast was all that was available most of the time.

Raffle to benefit Wild Steelhead Coalition

2011-06-03T16:36:00.000-07:00

We were stoked to get this custom built, red oak fly tying bench dropped off at the shop last week for a raffle and even more excited when we heard the cause that it would be benefiting. All proceeds will be going to the Wild Steelhead Coalition, who do some great things to raise awareness about the decline in wild steelhead populations in the Northwest.

Tickets are $20 each, with only 100 total to be sold. So stop down to the shop and check out this super cool bench that would make a great addition for any fly tyer and help out a great cause as well.

Salmonfly Time on the Deschutes

2011-06-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

For anyone interested in taking advantage of the Deschutes River in Oregon's fabled salmonfly hatch, now is the time. Last weekend Colton and I made a trip down there and to say that the fishing was good was an understatement.

There is something special about casting big dry flies to willing trout and I think these pictures speak for themselves.

Just a few bugs hanging out before the hatch really kicked into gear

A redband in the net during the peak of the hatch

Colton with a fat 16" redside

A trout's eye view

Sun and rising trout... I doesn't get much better

For anyone looking into going to the Deschutes for this hatch you should swing by the shop where you can get some great patterns that the trout were absolutely loving. If you catch Colton he share some first hand experience with you too. This hatch should continue for a few more weeks and I will have a full trip report coming soon on my blog www.nativetroutflyfishing.blogspot.com in the next few days.

new clip from RA Beattie

2011-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Beattie Outdoor Productions Fly Fishing Demo Reel from RA Beattie on Vimeo.

The Boys of Summer

2011-05-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

The long weekend and reprieve in the weather gave us the opportunity to get out to the peninsula and fun fish for the weekend and float some of the more beautiful rivers the northwest has to offer.
The crystal clear water and tall barren trees of winter have been replaced with the lush greenery and flows of spring which gave the water an amazing emerald color. Much of the winter fishing traffic has been replaced with eagles, otters and kingfishers cruising the river and we had nearly and entire day of total solitude on the river. We started our day early and covered all the likely holding water switching techniques as the needed to cover the different runs and pockets available. We took shots at a few fish and connected with this little summer run near the end of the day. Sporting all the bits and pieces that it was supposed to have this fish was released back into the river to continue on it's way.
As we move into the month of June, we should see an increase in numbers of fish in the system as well as some sea run trout and summer salmon. If Variety is the spice of life then summer fishing on the Peninsula is a gourmet kitchen….
If your interested in a guided trip or learning more about the fishing opportunities this summer come on down to the shop and we can help you out.

Columbia River Salmon Migration

2011-05-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Greatest Migration from EP Films on Vimeo.

A very interesting video about the plight of the Pacific Salmon and their incredible journey to return to their spawning grounds.

Our Best Tying Posts of 2010

2011-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you joined us on the blog recently you might have missed a bunch of last year's posts. Here's the post tying posts of last year:

Tying with Glow in the Dark Materials

Loon Clear UV Fly Finish

Happy Easter to all our Peeps

Experience Fly Fishing - Revised Schedule

2011-05-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

We just added another mini-seminar on fly fishing the Yakima River at 4pm with Gus Garcia.

This Saturday is our FREE Experience Fly Fishing event at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop. Especially designed for beginners and intermediate anglers!

Come out for a free BBQ, local beer from 7 Seas, and tons of mini-seminars, tying demos, and casting demos.

Mini-Seminars:
10:00 - Fly Fishing Puget Sound Beaches
10:45 - Knots and Rigging (multi-fly rigs, etc)
11:30 - Clothing and Layering (technical fishing clothing)
1:30 - All About Fly Lines (floating, sinking, shooting heads, etc)
2:15 - Fly Fishing Local Lakes
3:15 - Tactics for Steelhead
4:00 - Fly Fishing the Yakima River
Casting Demos:
12:15 - Intro to Spey Casting
1:30 - Winston Fly Rod Demo
2:00 - Fixing Common Casting Problems (Tailing Loops, etc)
2:45 - Advanced Casting Techniques (Single Haul, Double Haul, etc)

Tying Demos:
10:30 - Tying the Sea-Run Bugger
2:45 - Spicing Up the Wooly Bugger
3:45 - Tying Steelhead Intruders

BBQ 12:30-1:00

Raffles at each seminar! So come learn some new techniques, some new places to fish, and have some fun with the Gig Harbor Fly Shop! Mini-seminars and demos are approximately 30 minutes each and some overlap.

Take a kid fishing

2011-05-17T16:16:00.001-07:00

I remember the first time I went fishing.....my uncle Bob took me to the east side for trout near lake Chelan and from that day on I was hooked. Fortunately for me the angling was really good that day and the experience I will never forget. Through the years I have had the opportunity to take lots of people fishing in lots of places and the experience for me never gets old....that moment when the line comes to life and on the end a fish is frantically fighting to get a way and the smile that comes across your face....is priceless. This weekend I had the opportunity to take one of my oldest friends and his son fishing and fortunately for me....we were lucky to stumble into some fish and I hope....really hope that this little guy is also hooked.

On this day we fished a lake close to home....we trolled around buggers and other lake patterns. In the fast paced world we all live in it is easy to forget that there are some opportunities available to us that are "close" and offer the opportunity to bring a child or someone new to the water.....

Experience Fly Fishing

2011-05-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is our FREE Experience Fly Fishing event at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop. Especially designed for beginners and intermediate anglers!

Come out for a free BBQ, local beer from 7 Seas, and tons of mini-seminars, tying demos, and casting demos.

Mini-Seminars:
10:00 - Fly Fishing Puget Sound Beaches
10:45 - Knots and Rigging (multi-fly rigs, etc)
11:30 - Clothing and Layering (technical fishing clothing)
1:30 - All About Fly Lines (floating, sinking, shooting heads, etc)
2:15 - Fly Fishing Local Lakes
3:15 - Tactics for Steelhead

Casting Demos:
12:15 - Intro to Spey Casting
1:30 - Winston Fly Rod Demo
2:00 - Fixing Common Casting Problems (Tailing Loops, etc)
2:45 - Advanced Casting Techniques (Single Haul, Double Haul, etc)

Tying Demos:
10:30 - Tying the Sea-Run Bugger
2:45 - Spicing Up the Wooly Bugger
3:45 - Tying Steelhead Intruders

BBQ 12:30-1:00

Raffles at each seminar! So come learn some new techniques, some new places to fish, and have some fun with the Gig Harbor Fly Shop! Mini-seminars and demos are approximately 30 minutes each and some overlap.

Love that dirty water

2011-05-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

With the type of spring we have had this year, we took the opportunity to head east to the Yakima in hope of warm weather and the possibility of a grannom hatch....Upon our arrival we were greeted with high muddy water from the spring runoff in the Teanaway and spill from the reservoirs. In spite in the of the marginal water conditions we took our chances and floated the farm lands section of the river. We fished hard and covered the available water as best we could. On days like this with the water conditions we had, it is really nice to be able to reach back into the experience files and check into the high water secret holding spots learned through the years and fortunately we were rewarded with some trout. While this doesn't constitute a banner day of fishing....it was good to get on the water and scratch out some fish on the fly on a tough day with even tougher water conditions.

Due to the high snow level and tons of rain all over the state we will all be waiting for awhile for the rivers to come back into shape.....

Summer Steelhead Spey Rods

2011-05-13T15:53:00.000-07:00

Summer steelhead season is fast approaching in Western Washington with many rivers opening in early June. A few are already open. A couple of spey rods that our guides and staff are very excited about for this summer are the Scott A3 12'6" 7wt. and the Winston BIImx 11'6" 6/7 wt. Most of the time for summer steelhead we are pairing these rods with Scandinavian style shooting heads such as the SA Scandi Extreme or the Airflo Compact Scandi.

The Winston matches perfectly with a 400-440 grain scandi head, while the Scott A3 prefers about a 480 grain head.

I prefer to pair these with the SA floating mono running line and 10 or 14 ft poly leaders in a variety of sink rates from floating down to extra fast sink. Remember to shorten up your casting stroke, and work on using primarily your bottom hand when casting scandi lines. Need help with your casting, book a trip or lesson with one of our spey guys to get dialed in! These setups will do the rest!

Slacker Friday

2011-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

+ BLOWN - from LO FI FLY on Vimeo.

There "out of our element" - Faceless - Fly Fishing - from faceless fly fishing on Vimeo.

Manashtash Restoration

2011-05-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Yet another cool salmon and trout restoration project on the Yakima River. The Engineering company that designed the passage and facility is located in Gig Harbor....

Spring Fishing:

2011-05-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

It may appear that Mike and I were preparing for the FLW tour, minus the ski boat with the huge horse power and 70's inspired flake paint job.
Really we were taking advantage of a beautiful day on a local pond and fishing for what ever will take the fly. I have always been a believer in getting to the water when you have the chance, and while I am not the worlds largest supporter of Bass, any fish that will take a dry fly and isn't a pike minnow is fine by me. There are a tons of lakes with in 1/2 hour drive of Gig Harbor and most if not all will have trout, bass, sun fish and Blake's favorite...crappie. if you interested in fishing local because of 4$ gas or just like small water fishing....come by and see us at the shop and we can give you directions to some local lakes and favorite flies....

Taneum Creek Restoration

2011-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Cool video about a recent restoration project on Taneum Creek, one of the Yakima River tributaries.

New Gig Harbor Fly Shop Hats Have Arrived!!!

2011-05-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

Salmon Running the Gauntlet

2011-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

I just watched a great pbs documentary on salmon in the Columbia River basin. Here's the link for the full episode. LINK

Cast Hope

2011-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Cast Hope is a non-profit group in Nor Cal that takes kids on free guided fishing trips. A great group of guys doing a great thing for the sport and for kids. They currently have a silent auction going right now, check them and see if you can support them in any way. LINK

Mothers Day Caddis

2011-05-03T09:25:00.001-07:00

With the apparent arrival of spring to Washington many of us trout faithful have been eagerly awaiting the spring hatches of the yakima. More specifically the Mothers Day Caddis hatch. This is the most prolific hatch on the yakima and when in full swing can resemble snow on the river with literally millions of insects emerging out of the river and resident rainbow trout feeding in plain view.

After what seems like the longest winter I have seen....the thought of warm days, dry flies and resident trout has a smile on my face similar to that of the a child on opening at the local lake.

The key to capitalizing on this hatch is to monitor the river flows and temps. Hitting the hatch early in the season will feel like co-incidence at times and I have been a big believer that lucky is far better than skill. However....with the water beginning to warm up and the river flows evening out we should be on track to see this hatch any day.

There are many ways to fish this hatch, with the obvious being the emergence of the adults on the water. However, the egg layer phase and subsequent spinner fall can also be amazingly effective as well.

Our Yakima guide season is in full swing and we are running trips through the month of May into the fall. If you interested in a guided trip on the river or just looking for some information on flies, wade fishing spots or places to drift...come on down to the shop and we can help you out.

Southeast Alaska Recap

2011-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Colton, Craig, Joe, and I just returned from Southeast Alaska. We had a great time and hooked some incredibly beautiful steelhead. We had nice sun breaks in the afternoon which provided some warmth, but with the damp weather and the sun off the water it was downright cold. Nonetheless, it was great being steelhead bums and camping out, eating dinner on a gravel bar, and enjoying the long days of fishing and good company. Here's a few pictures from our adventure.

The trek begins....

2011-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

We recently hired a new Assistant Manager, Erik, and he's moving out here from Superior, Wisconsin. He leaves this morning, so if you see a U-Haul in the 1700 miles between Wisconsin and Washington pulling a Jeep, honk and give him the thumbs up!

View Larger Map

Call for Support! Alvord Cutthroat

2011-04-28T20:36:00.001-07:00

The Alvord cutthroat has been declared extinct for most of the past century, however in one small creek in Southern Oregon there is still a remnant of these fish left. Although it is unclear how genetically pure the fish in this creek are, some are phenotypically correct representations of the Alvord cutthroat trout and this may be the last chance to save these fish from extinction. The problem is that closely related Lahontan cutthroat have also been stocked in the creek and the greatly out number the Alvord type fish and seem to be slowly but surely replacing the Alvord type fish. For more information of these fish, please visithttp://kortumofdiscovery.wordpress.com/ orhttp://www.nativetroutflyfishing.com/alvordcutthroat.htm.

Now is the time for action and I urge any of my readers to write letters in support of a restoration project. Such a letter should include the following information:

1. Conducting a transplant of the most "Alvord-like" fish to a stream with suitable habitat. Such a stream should have good riparian habitat and water quality so that a self sustaining population can be created.

2. The stream currently holding these fish should to made catch and release only and no bait to help protect the remain "Alvord-type" fish found there.

3. The restoration of these fish should not hinge on waiting for genetic testing as such testing is timely and this population is too fragile to await such delays. Also this testing is going to be difficult to conduct as the Alvord cutthroat is lacking in quality genetic samples to compare with.

Please submit letters of support for an Alvord phenotype rescue and restoration project to: Shannon Hurn, ODFW District Office, 237 Highway 20 South/PO Box 8, Hines, OR 97738 or via email to shannon.m.hurn@state.or.us

OP wrap up

2011-04-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

It was a long wet cold year on the coast, with far more blow outs and muddy water then any of us wanted, but when we look back it was one of the better years in recent memory.

Lots of MINT bright fish made an appearance late in the season

Jeff ran into a hungry worm eating fish

Tom shook fins with a little chrome buck

Jeff's Dad with a colorful buck for his 70th

More bright fish pushed in!

A couple from a banner day for Big Jeff

Quick hello before he kicked off

Bob came up from California for a few days to help close out the season

Jeff (who's 6'5") with a sizable buck

your's truly with a dandy on a rare day off

Overall another fantastic season with lots of fish making it past the nets this year, look for 3-4 years from now to fish AMAZING!

See everyone next year!

William Joseph Storm Series Review

2011-04-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

One of the most exciting new products I've seen lately is the Storm Series of packs by William Joseph. They are a line of extremely affordable, fully waterproof packs and gear bags. I've been testing the Eddy shoulder pack in some all day soakers on the Olympic Peninsula and it has proven worthy, keeping my fly boxes and everything else dry and at easy reach. The shoulder strap is padded and super comfortable while allowing you to keep the pack behind you while fishing and swing it back around for easy access whenever needed.

Full selection in the store!


The Eddy: Shoulder Pack $44.95

The Surf: Roll Top Gear Bag $79.95

The Riptide: Waist Pack $49.95

Devil's Gold

2011-04-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Devil's Gold" in Search of Golden Dorado in Bolivia from Castaway Films on Vimeo.

Pacific Sailfish on the Fly

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Untitled from Castaway Films on Vimeo.

South Sound's Women Fly Fishing Group

2011-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I first opened the shop, it was not the amount of women that were into fly fishing that surprised me. My wife Allison occasionally goes fly fishing with me and I wrongly assumed that was the norm. Many women that fly fish without their husbands or are single. And, since we've opened the shop I've had several women mention that they wish they could meet up with other women that fly fish.

So we're making it happen. Last Saturday we invited any women to come out to the shop to meet other women, exchange contact info, have some wine and snacks, and talk about what they would like their group to look like. We had a fairly good size group show up and there's some movement with another meet up scheduled as well as a fishing trip. If you are a woman interested in getting involved, let us know and we'll put you in contact with the leaders from the group. You can contact us here.

New Site Features

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

On the left menu we just added to the blog the ability for you to follow the blog posts by email.

Above, we added the ability for you to like us on Facebook right here on the blog. You can go ahead and do that right now, thanks.

The Nemesis Fish

2011-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

The Nemesis Fish from LO FI FLY on Vimeo.

Paul Ancich posthumously honored for local conservation work

2011-04-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Great story about Gig Harbor resident, commercial fisherman, and conservationist Paul Ancich. Paul helped start the Donkey Creek Chum Festival here in Gig Harbor in which we participate in every year.

LINK

OP update

2011-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

This year can be fairly easily summarized thus far in the season: Hit the window and you'll get fish. Miss the window and you'll get wet! Mother nature has been toying with us more then most years, but when the weather windows open up we've been able to take advantage with some GOOD fishing!

You know it cant be too bad when even Blake gets his chrome on! ;)

Steelhead love worms :)

and yarn :)

Mason with a dandy chrome hen who wasnt as happy about being hooked as the rest of us!

fully loaded for one of the few days of swinging the lower hoh we've had this year

the payoff from a long day swinging!

We still have a few open days left this month. Give us a call at the shop to book a trip. 253-851-3474

Golden Dorado

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's exactly like fishing dry flies for trout but completely different.

InSHore FlyFishing for Golden Dorados from Mariano Ravizza on Vimeo.

If only I had a helicopter....

2011-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

No indicators were used in this film. Just some split shot and double nymph rigs.

BC Steelhead Movie from scumliner productions on Vimeo.

Miami Night Life

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Yo G, check this out.

I've Got Work in the Morning But.... from Fish Porn on Vimeo.

BC Steel

2011-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wait for the jump at 3:20.

Fly Fishing from Roy Wheeldon on Vimeo.

Russian Steelhead

2011-04-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd throw this out there....if anyone wants to go on this trip and bring me alone and pay my way, I'd be grateful. Very grateful.

The Kamchatka Steelhead Project from ryan peterson on Vimeo.

Winter Midges on the Madison

2011-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

String of videos

2011-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've seen a handful of cool fly fishing videos lately online and figured I'd share them with you. We'll post a new video everyday until you can't stand it and get outside and go fish!

Fly fishing takes you to the most beautiful places on earth.

Ørretens Rike / Kingdom of the Wild trout from Ørretens Rike on Vimeo.

Tacoma News Tribune article

2011-03-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

Justin recently guided the outdoor editor for the Tacoma News Tribune for some winter steelhead. Check out the article here. Both Gus and Justin still have some available dates for steelhead in March and April. Give the shop a call 253-851-3474.

Yakima River Report

2011-03-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Yakima River Fishing Report
Clear blue skies and light winds made for a great day on the water and we took the opportunity to put down the 8 Weights for a day or two and chase resident trout on the Yakima river.

With March already upon us the skawla stone is on every ones mind and the chance to throw big dries to hungry trout in March is hard to pass up. We put on at 10 am and casted dries for the better part of an hour with only one fish to the fly. Evening lows in the valley right now are well below freezing so early morning water temps were super cold. However as the day wore on and the water warmed a bit, the fish went on the feed and we had really steady action on the nymphing rigs for the remainder of the afternoon. We hooked trout on a variety of flies, with the typical stone and dropper combination being the most consistent. The key was to be patient and really cover the water well, many if not all of the fish we hooked were on the second or third pass through. We slowed the pace down and focused on the defined buckets and pockets that provided good cover, access to forage and depth. Flies of the day were the Pats and Kaufmans stones in brown and olive and hot trailer bugs were san juans worms and CDC pheasant tails and red brassies. The fishing will only get better as warmer weather will equal warmer water temps and more active fishing. The next month or 2 will usher in the spring baetis hatches, along with March browns and the mothers day caddis hatch. If your looking for some information on good wade fishing locations, a guided trip or bug selection come on down to the shop and we can help you out.

The state of Wild Steelhead

2011-03-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Steelhead are in need of some friends. Unbelievably, wild steelhead retention is still allowed in Washington state. Please help these beautiful fish out by supporting conservation efforts and add your voice to the cause. The Wild Steelhead Coalition is a good place to start.

Great East Coast Surf Fishing

2011-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Different than how we do it here on the West Coast, but awesome stuff!

Surf Fishing 2010 - NYC Edition from Peter Laurelli on Vimeo.

Fly Fishing Film Tour this Thursday!

2011-02-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is coming up this Thursday! There's some great films this year. Lots of saltwater films (mako sharks, blue marlin, bonefish, permit, & more) plus some cool trout fishing in New Zealand, and some other surprises as well. Tickets are $12 in advance at the shop or $15 online. The show starts at 7pm and is 21 and up.

Fish Out on Saturday & Orientation today

2011-02-20T09:34:00.001-08:00

Fly Shop Fish Out this week!

We need your help!

We're having a Fish Out this Saturday for Resident Coho in the saltwater! AND we're collecting data about the fish to provide WDFW with more data regarding this fishery. What does that mean? We're inviting everyone fishing! It also means that this is important for everyone's participating because the future of this fishery could depend on it. Several local clubs are also joining us this day. Here's the scoop:

Sunday Feb. 20th 3pm - Orientation seminar @ Gig Harbor Fly Shop

Come hear about what kind of gear you need, flies, tactics, etc., as well as an overview to what research we are doing and why.

Saturday Feb. 26th - The Fish Out

We will descend on our local beaches in the South Sound from the Narrows Bridge to the South. The goal is to catch and document Resident Coho. We will send out information in a couple days with more detailed information about the when and where.

Job Opportunity at the Gig Harbor Fly Shop

2011-02-16T06:00:00.002-08:00

Please help get the word out about this,
Gig Harbor Fly Shop

The Gig Harbor Fly Shop started in 2004 as Wilderness Angler (an online catalog company) and expanded to a small retail store in March of 2009. The Gig Harbor Fly Shop quickly gained a following and within a year it was very evident that expansion was going to be in the near future. January 1st of 2011 the Gig Harbor Fly Shop moved to a much larger and more visible location just down and across the street. The new location is much larger and more visible. The new location draws a significant amount of walk-in traffic. The shop currently has a small band of dedicated employees and guiding staff. The Gig Harbor Fly Shop has not only grabbed regional recognition but national recognition as well. We are looking forward to filling an Assistant Manager with an awesome person who will join us in this exciting time of growth.

Assistant Manager
Job Description - Full time salaried position including, but not limited to, the following responsibilities:
Responsibilities:
- Manage online store, eBay store, and shipping fulfillment
- Run Point of Sale and Inventory System
- Assist owner with education/class development, strategy, and implementation
- Assist owner with special events creation and implementation
- Assist owner with pre-season & fill-in ordering
- Helping with daily tasks and assigning when necessary to other employees
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned/needed

Requirements:
- Must be a person of integrity
- Must be friendly
- Enthusiastic & passionate about fly fishing, as well as helping new people into the sport
- Competency in fly fishing is great, but must be humble with a willingness to learn
- Computer savvy - Proficient with common software and learns easily
- Understands and helps us pursue our Core Values

Compensation -
Full Time Salary
1 week paid vacation
2 days off per week

Please send resume to sales@gigharborflyshop.com Subject: Resume

Saying Bye to Gary

2011-02-15T19:00:00.000-08:00

Gary and I first met the first month I moved to Gig Harbor. We fished the beach that January morning and I was hooked on fly fishing Puget Sound beaches. Following that first fishing outing we became good fishing buddies and great friends. For a few years we fished the beaches of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, the rivers on the coast, and other streams and lakes all over the state. In August of 2008 I started to think about opening the fly shop and I threw the idea out to Gary one afternoon as we casted to sea-run cutthroat at Purdy.

When we opened the shop in March of 2009, Gary had already spent dozens of hours with me building displays and making preparations for the new shop. His fingerprints are all over the creation as well as success of the Gig Harbor Fly Shop. It has been great to have a good friend as my first employee.

It is also bittersweet to see Gary moving on. Gary has accepted a job with Washington's Department of Fish & Wildlife as a Fisheries Biologist. His departure is a loss to the shop but this is his dream job and as his friend I couldn't be happier for him.

Even though Gary will be working during the week for WDFW, Gary still plans to teach some tying and beach classes as well as some guiding on the weekend and filling in at the shop on some weekends as well. A celebration for Gary is in the works and we'll let you know as soon as we pick a day and time.

Fly Fishing Film Tour

2011-02-15T06:00:00.001-08:00

The Fly Fishing Film Tour is tonight in Seattle, if you're not able to make it we're hosting it in Gig Harbor on February 24th at the Galaxy Theater in Gig Harbor Uptown. The film is in HD at the Gig Harbor screening. Tickets are available at the shop for $12 or $15 online.

Nice Hat...

2011-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

...another reason to pinch the barbs on your hooks!

WDFW Merger... A bad idea for our fisheries

2011-02-12T17:15:00.000-08:00

With the vast number of budget cuts being enacted by the State, one plan in particular should make fisherman nervous. This is the State's plan to merge the Department of Fish and Wildlife with the Parks Department, which is not in the best interest of the management of our fisheries resources or angling opportunities. This plan would effect the WDFW's policy writing ability and in light of Puget Sound steelhead, bull trout, Chinook salmon and Rockfish all being listed under the Endangered Species Act the fish need all of the help that they can get.

If you oppose this bill please take the time to let the State Representatives know by clicking the link here: http://www.votervoice.net/core.aspx?aid=966&issueid=23640&atid=18252&siteid=0&app=GAC&isvisited=false

Film Tour Coming to Gig Harbor...

2011-02-11T09:06:00.001-08:00

in less than two weeks! Time to get your tickets! We have them at the shop for $12 or online at flyfishingfilmtour.com for $15.

2011 Fly Fishing Film Tour Trailer - Beattie Outdoor Productions from RA Beattie on Vimeo.

Pebble Mine Update

2011-02-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

The EPA announced that they will be doing a review of the proposed Pebble Mine. This is great news to all of us that oppose the Pebble Mine. Take 8 seconds and take action by emailing the EPA administrator, your senator, and your representative. Here's a link to a form letter. LINK

Locally tied flies???

2011-01-31T14:40:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder if the flies at the shop are locally tied? Well just about all of the salt water flies are. Although a few of the chum babies that will be coming into the shop soon are going to be more locally tied then others, as I was fly tying my way through California last week.

Shipping boxes tend to make for great makeshift fly tying desks when fighting Northern California traffic.

Winter steelheading continues to be AMAZING!

2011-01-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Just another quick update from the coast.
Sunday's clients ended up having a banner day hooking 15 fish and boating 8 all on pink wormies
Monday a friend and I made a short day float and found 6 fish that wanted to play. First time I had gotten to feel a rod bend in over a month so I'm still overjoyed!
We have some open dates left in February and fewer in March and April; The way the season has been going it's turning out to be a can't miss year!